hawklee
New member
What a weekend!!! I just started my first Jeep project and completed a 3.5 inch Rough Country suspension lift and front steering stabilizers! Tired and sore as it was much harder than i thought it would be, but I am so happy that I did it myself.
I have a Silver 2012 JKU that I bought as a leftover in Feb2013 and have been waiting for my stock Bridgestone Duelers to wear down before replacing wheels and tires and needing a lift and with 43k miles, they're still holding strong with a lot of tread life left, but i popped one with a rip in the side wall while off roading, so i decided to pull the trigger and order the lift.
The front end was tough and hit a 3hour snag while trying to remove the front lower arm bars (could only remove one of 4 bolts) so after 30-45 minutes decided to forgo the new arm bars and reattach the one bolt....it took about 2.5 hrs to get it back in!
Then I guess i was about halfway done the front end and I needed a 33mm socket to get the Pitman Arm off. Of course the instructions didnt tell me up front that i needed a 33mm socket as i have very limited tools and i took the list of required tools to Lowes before starting to buy what was listed, and being that i started my project on Friday, my wifes Grand Cherokee wasn't around to just make a run to the store, so i had to find a neighbor who was home to borrow their car..ugh,
-----nor did the instructions say up front i needed an allen wrench to secure the castle nut on the pitman arm, and then in the process it told me the wrong size allen wrench, nor did they say, btw.. make sure you note how the pitman came out and put it back in the same way, so not sure its back in the same way
Getting front track bar in was my last challenge as it took me a while to figure out that I could use the jack to make slight adjustments.
The rear was a cake walk and everything lined up almost too easy!!!
Concerns:
Alignment is kinda whacky, especially turning left...so ill have to get that checked out.
Brake lines, kit came with brackets to extend, but the front lines don't really come down from above the wheel well at all that i could tell to use the extended bracket, so i just reinstalled as they came. Also i saw some kits say to remove the lower brake line bracket altogether, but this one didnt so i reinstalled, and there is some slack in the lines, but i think its not enough once i take it off-road.
Next up....
I already received my Deck Cepek Black Out wheels 17x9 and Smittybuilt oversized tire carrier and have been positing on here for ideas and opinions on 35in tires, and i think I'm leaning towards Toyo Open County AT2's. Thanks for advice thus far!
Received Opar 7in headlights with Halo ring and awaiting arrival of a black angry bird grill to install those together.
Anyways, 18 hrs of work and sore muscles with some scrapes and a wrench to the head, lol, I feel good about having completed what i have thus far and looking forward to doing more!
Hawklee
I have a Silver 2012 JKU that I bought as a leftover in Feb2013 and have been waiting for my stock Bridgestone Duelers to wear down before replacing wheels and tires and needing a lift and with 43k miles, they're still holding strong with a lot of tread life left, but i popped one with a rip in the side wall while off roading, so i decided to pull the trigger and order the lift.
The front end was tough and hit a 3hour snag while trying to remove the front lower arm bars (could only remove one of 4 bolts) so after 30-45 minutes decided to forgo the new arm bars and reattach the one bolt....it took about 2.5 hrs to get it back in!
Then I guess i was about halfway done the front end and I needed a 33mm socket to get the Pitman Arm off. Of course the instructions didnt tell me up front that i needed a 33mm socket as i have very limited tools and i took the list of required tools to Lowes before starting to buy what was listed, and being that i started my project on Friday, my wifes Grand Cherokee wasn't around to just make a run to the store, so i had to find a neighbor who was home to borrow their car..ugh,
-----nor did the instructions say up front i needed an allen wrench to secure the castle nut on the pitman arm, and then in the process it told me the wrong size allen wrench, nor did they say, btw.. make sure you note how the pitman came out and put it back in the same way, so not sure its back in the same way
Getting front track bar in was my last challenge as it took me a while to figure out that I could use the jack to make slight adjustments.
The rear was a cake walk and everything lined up almost too easy!!!
Concerns:
Alignment is kinda whacky, especially turning left...so ill have to get that checked out.
Brake lines, kit came with brackets to extend, but the front lines don't really come down from above the wheel well at all that i could tell to use the extended bracket, so i just reinstalled as they came. Also i saw some kits say to remove the lower brake line bracket altogether, but this one didnt so i reinstalled, and there is some slack in the lines, but i think its not enough once i take it off-road.
Next up....
I already received my Deck Cepek Black Out wheels 17x9 and Smittybuilt oversized tire carrier and have been positing on here for ideas and opinions on 35in tires, and i think I'm leaning towards Toyo Open County AT2's. Thanks for advice thus far!
Received Opar 7in headlights with Halo ring and awaiting arrival of a black angry bird grill to install those together.
Anyways, 18 hrs of work and sore muscles with some scrapes and a wrench to the head, lol, I feel good about having completed what i have thus far and looking forward to doing more!
Hawklee
